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Twinkies become hot commodity after Hostess shutdown news

The announcement that Hostess Brands Inc. asked for court permission to go out of business prompted many consumers to run out and load their shopping carts with the company’s iconic snack food. Shoppers across the nation headed to grocery stores and Hostess bakery outlets to snatch up boxes of Twinkies, Ho Hos and Wonder Bread, apparently fearing the products would become extinct.

A dog sits in a shopping cart that is filled with packages of Hostess products at a Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet in San Leandro, Calif. Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, announced plans to liquidate its assets. The news prompted some shoppers to stock up on the company’s products. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Shelves lay empty at a Wonder Bread Hostess Bakery Outlet in Glendale, Calif. After Hostess Brands Inc, the bankrupt maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread, has sought court permission to go out of business after failing to get wage and benefit cuts from thousands of its striking bakery workers. The news prompted some shoppers to stock up on the company’s iconic snack food products. (Bret Hartman/Reuters)

A customer shops for Hostess products at a Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet in San Leandro, Calif. Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, announced plans to liquidate its assets, prompting some concerned shoppers to stock up on the company’s products. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Hanging above a nearly empty shelf at a Wonder Bead Hostess Bakery Outlet in Glendale, Calif., a notice to customers apologizes for a lack of stock due to striking employees. Shoppers tried to stock up on Twinkies, Wonder Bread and other Hostess products after the company announced it was seeking court permission to go out of business. (Bret Hartman/Reuters)

Customers carry bags of Hostess products as they leave a Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet in San Leandro, California. Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, announced plans to liquidate its assets, prompting some concerned shoppers to stock up on the company’s products. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

A customer carries bags of Hostess products at a Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet in San Leandro, Calif. Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, announced plans to liquidate assets, prompting some concerned shoppers to stock up on the company’s products. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

A shelf sits mostly empty at a Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet in San Leandro, Calif. Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, announced plans to liquidate its assets and lay off nearly 18,500 employees. The news prompted some concerned shoppers to stock up on the company’s products. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Trucks sit idle at the Hostess baking facility in Oakland, California. Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, announced plans to liquidate its assets and lay off nearly 18,500 employees due to a workers’ strike brought on by an imposed contract that would cut wages by 8 percent. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Trucks sit idle at the Hostess baking facility in Oakland, Calif. Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, announced plans to liquidate its assets and lay off nearly 18,500 employees due to a workers’ strike brought on by an imposed contract that would cut workers’ wages by 8 percent. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Striking bakery workers stand near a truck outside of the Hostess baking facility in Oakland, California. Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, announced plans to liquidate its assets and lay off nearly 18,500 employees due to a workers’ strike brought on by an imposed contract that would cut workers’ wages by 8 percent. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Striking bakery workers stand near a truck outside of the Interstate Bakeries facility in Oakland, Calif., on Nov. 16,2 012. Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, announced plans to liquidate its assets and lay off nearly 18,500 employees due to a workers’ strike brought on by an imposed contract that would cut workers’ wages by 8 percent. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Customers arrive at the Hostess Bakery Outlet in St. Louis. If Hostess Brands wins court approval to liquidate next week, it is likely to encounter substantial demand for its portfolio of iconic snack cakes and baked goods like Twinkies and Wonder Bread, investors and industry experts said on Friday. (Sarah Conard/Reuters)

A customer leaves a Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet on Nov. 16, 2012 in San Leandro, Calif. Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, announced plans to liquidate its assets, leading some concerned shoppers to stock up on the company’s iconic products. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

People line up to purchase packages of Hostess products at a Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet in San Leandro, Calif. After Hostess Brands announced plans to liquidate its assets and close for business, some concerned shoppers tried to stock up on the company’s iconic snack foods, including Twinkies, Wonder Bead and Ho Hos.(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

An on-strike sign is posted on the other side of the street from a now-closed Wonder Bread bakery in Lenexa, Kansas. Hostess Brands Inc., the bankrupt maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread, said it had sought court permission to go out of business after failing to get wage and benefit cuts from thousands of its striking bakery workers. (Dave Kaup/Reuters)

Packages of Hostess products sit on a counter at a Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet in San Leandro, Calif., on Nov. 16, 2012. Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, announced plans to liquidate its assets, leading some consumers to stock up on Hostess’ products. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Packages of Hostess products sit on a counter at a Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet in San Leandro, California. Customers raced to the stores to stock up on Twinkies, Ding Dongs and more after Hostess Brands announced plans to liquidate its assets and lay off nearly 18,500 employees. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

A Twinkie the Kid sign is posted on the window at a Wonder Hostess Bakery Outlet in San Leandro, California. Hostess Brands, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, announced plans to liquidate its assets, leading some shoppers to stock up on the company’s products. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

A sign taped onto the door of a Hostess plant in St. Louis announces the locatoin’s closure. If Hostess Brands wins court approval to liquidate next week, it is likely to encounter substantial demand for its portfolio of iconic snack cakes and baked goods like Twinkies and Wonder Bread. (Sarah Conard/Reuters)

Soon after hearing that Hostess Brands Inc. was shutting down for good, Lisa Renee Clark wasted no time dashing out to the Wonder Hostess Bakery Thriftshop in Glen Burnie.

But by midday Friday, she was almost too late. The Twinkies had sold out. Supplies of Wonder white bread were dwindling. And the shelves appeared bare of Ho Hos. Finally spotting two boxes of the cream-filled snack cakes, Clark snatched them up.

5 Comments

adam
Nov 17, 2012 @
16:30:12

LOL all these people stocking up on twinkies at inflated prices are wasting their money not knowing that they are still and will continue to be produced in Canada. Hostess sold the production rights in Canada to Saputo and any company which picks up the ownership to to twinkies automatically inherits the contract

Adam, you may be right. Now they will be made in Canada with, guess what… non-union workers!! And then sold back to us cheaper, soooo, the price might actually come DOWN in our supermarkets!! Love to see the reaction of the union members when that happens!! lol

Any job is better than none in this economy and any job with employee benefits (like health insurance) outways a loss in salary and pensions. I hope the Union is satisfied now. Everyone has lost here including all the people who enjoy Hostess products and all those employees who are now apart of the many unemployeed workers. Its truly a sad day for all.

Rick, enjoyed your post. Kinda serves the workers right for being union workers to begin with. Unions do serve a purpose in the work place, but they are getting to demanding now. With all the Federal and local rules and regulations being pushed down our throats now, unions may have outlived their usefulness.

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